Dream a little dream
by theonewhosawitall
Summary: Merlin is all alone in the modern day world. every time he gets some sleep, he dreams of being with Arthur in different situations. in other words, so many AUs so little stories behind them
1. A little seaside golf

The golf ball smashed into the green side and bounced into the gravel. "The LOWEST score in golf wins, not the highest!" Merlin laughed. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"This game is stupid!" He said.

"Only because you're losing!"

"I'm the king merlin! Kings don't lose!"

"Apparently they do at golf!"

Merlin placed the red ball down on the ruffed greenery. He didn't bother to really aim. He knew it wouldn't go well even if he did. It didn't bother him. The mini golf course in haven caravan site didn't even have a windmill! He hit it, as hard as he could.

To the amazement of everyone watching, the ball pinged off of the green edge onto the red octopus of the next hole, bounced off of side, ricocheted off of the sandcastle on this hole and rolled into the hole for Merlins scorecard to act as proof of his hole in one. Merlin stood staring at the hole in amazement. Arthur grunted. "Lucky shot!"

"Would you rather walk down the beach Arthur?"

"No!"

"Up the hill?!"

"No!"

"Rock climbing?"

"No!"

"If we go now we can catch the show with the people in animal costumes! That might be more suitable of someone of your intellect!"

"Shut up merlin!"

Merlin ended up picking up Arthurs blue ball and dropping it into the hole at the end.

Arthur huffed. The ball finally rolled into the final hole. They had only been playing for two and a half hours. He practically threw his gold club at the desk again. Then he grabbed Merlins arm and dragged him away.

"Where are we going?" Merlin asked.

"Up the hill!" Arthur hissed.

It was getting dark. Arthur wanted to keep moving. He didn't particularly like the caravan.

Merlin woke up in a cocoon of his own sweat. Lazily he pulled away but in his half asleep style he forgot it was a hoodie. He panicked a little as he discovered he was trapped. Then he pulled the final part of the hoodie off of his head. A cool breeze swept across his torso. He slammed back down on the mattress and fell asleep instantly.

This moment was so perfect it's almost impossible to describe every detail in the right way to get across how perfect it really was. It was one of those moments that were so…so breath-taking, that you had to experience it, to understand and appreciate how extraordinary it was!

The sea was calm. It was smooth and glossy. It rolled into shore like it was tucking in a sleeping infant. Across the sea, the Cardiff bay lights stretched across the water. The sky was clear and seemed to be purple. Right above them was a constellation. Merlin thought it was the plough although it looked like a saucepan. Around it more bright twinkling stars pierced the veil of darkness. To their left the full moon was bright. It made the hayfields stretching out along beside them to the bright shining dots on the coast line, tint with a silver glow. The same silver glow was rippling reflected in the lapping waves. Beyond the fields there was a large house. It was painted in the magical moonlight to seem almost as if it were a dolls house upon the country hill. Everything was so still and so tranquil. It was almost as if someone had enchanted the perfect moment. For the cherry on the sundae, a silver star darted across the sky. Merlin closed his eyes so tightly his nose wrinkled, and he wished this moment would never end.

Of course all things had to end.


	2. Gwen gets hungry

This moment came to its end in the form of Hold On To What You Believe. Merlin hated that he adored Mumford and sons. However they did it, they made him think of Arthur. Merlin threw his alarm at the wall, scaring his silky black cat. She lept down to defend her kittens who were snuggled in the bottom of his t-shirt drawer.

Merlin couldn't sleep again. The cd alarm kept going. Right through Babel to Bonfire hearts and into Timshel and time of our lives. All the songs that reminded him of Arthur. To be fair, the cd was a mix tape of all songs that reminded him of his king. But it made him upset and Gwen the cat was getting hungry. She swatted at Merlins nose to get him up. Merlin stroked her between her silky ears.

"Five more minutes!" He muttered.

He had to put some effort into shoving Gwen away, then rolled over to try and get back to sleep.


	3. seaside nightmare

Merlin wandered along down the rickety pier. He was around 17. He was young, and single and this was his first holiday without his family. He was already, as a result, a scruffy, beaten up sight that couldn't simply be ignored. Gwaine had taken him to the beach because, to quote, "lots of chicks and dicks on the sand and don't get me started about in the sea!"

Gwaine had already found someone. He was flirting with her in the spotlight of the sun as they lay on their beach towels. Merlin, to stop himself throwing up, went for a wander.

Merlin leaned on the wooden pier edge. The salty wind rushed up around his face and tangled his hair playfully. Merlin chuckled.

A wave rolled up and slammed into the pier and a guy driving a speedboat whizzed by. Merlin stared after him. That blonde sailor was the finest boy merlin had ever seen. Merlin leaned further out to see more of the boat as it twirled around bobbing up and down on the waves like a kid on a skateboard.

Merlin ran down to the docks as the speed boat pulled in to the harbour. The blonde threw the rope onto the dock and merlin looped it around the port hold. The boys bubble-gum eyes flicked up onto the rope and then up to merlin. Merlin's heart skipped a beat as for the first time, their eyes met.

"Thanks!" he said.

"It's… fine!" merlin smiled a little.

The boy stepped up onto the side, as another wave smacked into the side of the boat. Arthur was shoved off of the side. Merlin grabbed him as he fell. They separated awkwardly. Arthur tried to hide his grin as merlin turned star lily pink.

"I'm Arthur!"

"Merlin!"

"Nice to meet you merlin."

"Great to meet you Arthur!"

That was the beginning. The simple beginnings. From here the talking didn't seem to stop. In a matter of minutes they felt like they'd known each other all of their lives.

It started to get late, and it started to get cold. As the sunset left a glittering golden path across the waves, it engulfed Arthur and Merlin as they sat on the dock with their feet dangling in the water.

They were still sitting on the dock when the sky turned midnight blue and the stars studded it and the golden glow turned silver with the moon.

But under the dark waves, they didn't notice the dark shape. It was practically invisible to them.

The dark shape lept out of the sea in front of them. The huge fat shape was black and furry and wet. It smacked Merlin in the face. Merlin yelled but it was too late. Arthur was being dragged down to the salty depths to rest in his watery grave. Merlin caught a glimpse of an island rising up from the waves. The shape slammed into Merlins face again.

Merlin woke up in fear and with a wet nose. There was a heavy warm weight on his chest. Gwen swatted his nose again. Merlin groaned. He slid out if bed to feed his impatient cat. Four tiny kittens cane scampering out and sliding over the floor. Merlin left the food for the cats and collapsed on his bed again.


	4. Disney Movie

Merlin sat brushing his hair. It took him about an hour. His hair was long enough to reach all the way from his window to the bottom of his tower. And it did. It was hanging out now. All the way to the grass.

A huge, green, slimy frog started to climb his hair like a rope. (Well actually more like a rock climbing wall but in Merlins dream it was more like a rope)

Merlin felt the frog land on his scalp. He squealed a little and squirmed until the frog lept down.

"Alright merlin jeez! I just need a little help!"

Merlin froze staring at the frog. "Arthur?!"

The frog was about to correct him, but then wondered how long he could stretch this on for.

"In the flesh. Ish!"

"w-what happened?"

"Oh I went for a walk with an army, broke into morgana's castle to have a little chat, made the army wait outside, and got turned into a frog by morgana you know just an average day!"

"Gwaine!"

"You're improving!"

"I'm not that stupid Gwaine!"

"Stupid enough to kiss a frog though!"

Merlin wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Hey I'm not that slimy!"

"You got yourself into this mess, go get yourself out of it!"

"Yeah I guessed that would be your reaction. But you know, Arthur is a frog too. Somewhere. You have to make him become a human again!"

"How?"

"Kiss him. In Upendi!"

"Where?!"

"In Upendi!"

"But Gwaine I've never been outside this castle!"

"So? Take him to Upendi!"

"How? I haven't been outside!"

Merlin sighed heavily. He leaned on the window sill and looked out to the land that swept out across the land. He looked down to the two new lovebirds on the bridge.

"So many times out here I've watched a happy pair of lovers walking in the night. They had a kind of glow around them. It almost looked like heaven's light! I know I'll never know, that warm and loving glow. Because I can't leave this tower!"

"Then go to-"Gwaine paused as if he'd forgotten the name of the place "Upendi?"

"Where?!"

"Where the passion fruit grows sweet and it's so divine that you lose your mind as it sweeps you off your feet!" In Upendi! Without a worry or a care. It just takes two, to make it true in Upendi!"

"How do we get there then?"

"Your heart will lead you there!"

"Gwaine you mean love don't you?"

"If you want to over simplify it!"

"A guy like Arthur could never love a guy like me!"

Arthur the frog, had finally caught up with Gwaine now and arrived just in time to hear the last of the conversation.

"Paris, the city of lovers

Is glowing this evening!

True, that's because it's on fire; still, there's "l'amour"! Somewhere out there in the night His Heart is also alight. And I know the guy she just might Be burning for! A guy like you he's never known, kid. A guy like you a guy does not meet every day. You've got a look that's all your own, kid. Could there be two, like you? No way! However, my look has been drastically changed and I'm no longer handsome and I look like any other frog in the pond!"

"Gwaine!"

"Kiss me already!"

"Fine dammit!"

Reluctantly, merlin kissed the smiley old frog and there was a bright, glittering golden glow as Gwaine was t4ransformed back into the dark haired knight he really was. Arthur hopped forwards in surprise.

"Thank you!"

"You're not welcome!"

"Well when Arthur comes he will be!"

"What? That makes no sense as a comeback you idiot!"

Gwaine looked behind him and to his delight there was a mirror behind him.

"Would you like me to move so you can say that to the mirror itself?!"

Merlin punched him.

"If you two will stop having a lovers spat, can I please be transformed back into a human too?!"

Merlin was a lot less reluctant to kiss Arthur. Even if he was just as slimy. Merlin couldn't help but smile at Arthur's human form.

(The scene melted away into another as often happens in dreams. This scene was of merlin and Arthur in a rowing boat on a lake. Gwaine was leading the other knights in singing Kiss the Girl from half way through which then changed into Won't Say I'm In Love)

Arthur rowed them under the drapes of the willow leaves. Then the temperature dropped. Arthur found a blanket under the benches and wrapped it around the two of them so merlin had to get closer to him.

"I love you. For always. Will you love me that long too? Forever?" merlin said.

"No."

Merlin looked at him in despair. He'd been afraid of that. He looked down at his shoes and pulled away a little. Arthur chuckled. He raised Merlins chin gently.

"I'll love you far longer than forever!"

The song melted into A Tale as Old as Time.


	5. the school run

Merlin woke up to the sound of his irritatingly noisy neighbours. The two little girls were playing Disney songs as loud as possible while their brother yelled about the hauntings that supposedly happened to be going on around the community. The school was full of superstitious stories like that. However usually the ghost would stay within the school walls. These hauntings seemed to be spreading out over town. The dogs were all acting strangely whatever reason. All Merlin was certain of was that School was ruining his sleep even after all these years. Merlin was barely awake as he shoved the pillow on his head to muffle the sound. Gwen decided to help by curling up on the pillow to push it onto Merlins ear more. He slipped back into sleep.


	6. Devil's tunes

Merlin pitched up the yellow tent. Arthur helped a little then gave up and returned to setting up night vision cameras. Merlin had the tent up in no time with a little magical help. Arthur set the fire. Merlin pulled out the marshmallows.

As the trees became silhouettes of the silver gleam of the moon, Merlin and Arthur roasted marshmallows over the flickering fire. The gooey insides melted on their tongues.

They were camping in the devils tramping ground. Supposedly the devil came at night to pace the circle to come up with new ways to torture souls and scorched the ground clean of life. However, logic dictated that the ground was especially salty there. The salt seemed to be lessening as the circle shrunk too. But maybe, in Arthur's argument, the devil is on holiday in Georgia and he'll be back to pace again when the stars are in the ultimate position. That rolled into tonight. Arthur was planning to spend the night and see what he could get on film. Merlin knew the Winchester boys enough to know that if it was Lucifer than the cameras were useless, and it couldn't be salt. But the main thing he knew was the devil didn't have hooves.

Still, after being bullied into truth or dare, Merlin had been dared to stay the night with Arthur in the tent. Arthur was glad of the company.

They played the same stupid campfire games they did when they were little.

Now that the fire was burning out, Merlin knew that they would need more firewood. He also knew he didn't want to be the one who went further into the dark shadowy forest to do it. Especially around the edges. For whatever reason, the silence that should have been animals, was more hair raising that any wolf's howl.

Arthur could feel Merlins anxious shaking through both of their sleeping bags. Arthur had given up trying to train Merlin that it was ok and that there was nothing to be afraid of because Arthur was with him. It didn't work, so he wriggled closer.

Arthur's hand was freezing cold against Merlin's but merlin didn't mind.

It was quarter to midnight what was about the time that the hauntings usually started. Arthur and Merlin had somehow stayed awake. An enchanting gentle sound of a flute can flowing through the still air, winding down to them in the tent. It was trying to lull them to sleep.

"Hey Merlin?" Arthur whispered.

"Yeah Arthur?" Merlin yawned.

"Do you hear that?"

Merlin listened out to the still air and the lulling tune that danced in his ear.

"Yeah. Pretty isn't it?" he said.

"Yeah. Pretty!"

"Hey Arthur?"

"Yeah merlin?"

"Are you playing it?"

"No!"

They froze.


	7. Shooting stars and Autumn leaves

Have you ever seen a leaf fall off a tree? Have you ever seen the actual moment when that leaf breaks from its branch? It's a beautiful thing.

Merlin had seen it. He'd sat deep in the forest at the height of autumn to see it. He liked to take a day out of his life to do it each year. It was a tradition now. This year, Arthur came too.

Merlin sat on a cool hard grey rocks looking up to the tree tops. Arthur sat beside him. They sat in silence with the wind throwing down more leaves.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked after a while.

"mmmm?" Merlin hummed without looking away from the trees.

"What are we doing?"

"I'm looking for the exact moment that a leaf breaks from its branch. I don't know what you're doing!"

"I'm waiting for my idiot servant to go and fetch some firewood. We're camping remember?"

"No. Today is the day I watch the leaves!"

Arthur raised his eyes to the heavens.

"Fine. I'll get the firewood!"

Merlin didn't move to stop him. It irritated Arthur a little. He stormed off muttering angrily about it.

While collecting his own firewood, he looked up. As he did, a single red and orange leaf, broke from the branch. It fluttered down dancing on the breeze to land before Arthur's feet.

Arthur was washed with excited contentment.

When he got back, with a bundle of firewood the sky had gotten dark. Merlin had moved from the rock to a bundle of twigs and dried leaves. Fireflies were started to fly up and glow their butts yellowy green.

Arthur knelt down beside him to set up the logs he had collected. Merlin set them alight in moments.

They both laid back to look up at the stars in silence with fireflies hovering around.

"I understand you know!" Arthur said after a while.

"Understand what?" merlin asked.

"Why you do this each year. There's something…intoxicating about seeing the exact moment a leaf brakes from its branch!"

"It's a glorious feeling you get abashed with isn't it!"

"It's the feeling I get whenever I'm with you!"

Merlin chuckled. That was so corny! But he shuffled closer to Arthur anyway.

"Hey look!" Arthur said pointing up, "a shooting star! Make a wish!"

Merlin suddenly remembered that this must be a dream. He closed his eyes tight and wished the only wish he'd wish for centuries.

"I wish you would come home!"


	8. It's off to work we go

Arthur the kitten plaid with Merlin's hair. He was batting it and jumping on it and rolling after strands of it and biting it. It woke merlin up. The second Arthur realised Merlin was awake he snuggled under Merlin's chin and licked his stubble. Lancelot and Percival and Morgana lept on Merlin too. Gwen picked them up one by one and carried them back to the bottom of Merlin's drawers. Merlin scratched Arthur's back and Arthur raised his back in pleasure.

Gwen took his away just as someone hammered on the door.

It was Leon.

Leon and Merlin and Gwaine worked at the local castle teaching archery and jousting and how to "fight like a knight!" as the castle called it. Leon had the only car so drove them all there. He always picked up merlin first.

Leon's car was a clapped out old banger. He had got it around the time that platform shoes were widely considered a good idea. His car barely worked. Merlin often begged him to sell it and buy a proper one but Leon refused every time. He loved his stupid old banger.

So every morning Merlin climbed into the death trap half hoping to crash so that Leon would have to buy a new car. And then it same conversation starter came again as it did first thing every Monday morning.

"Did you dream about him again?"

"No I dreamed about you selling this pile of junk on wheels!"

"Well dreams are ridiculous because they never come true!"

"Not without a lot of hard work!"

"And a long, long, long time waiting!"

"Yeah I know."

"Good."

"Do I smell apple?"

"Air reasoned. Don't tell Gwaine!"

"You're evil!"

"A little bit!"

And then they arrived at Gwaine's place. Leon went inside to wake him up and fight some clothes onto him as per usual first thing every Monday morning.

Merlin sat in the car waiting for Gwaine. It was a Typical English day. Grey, a promise of rain to come. He was listening to whispers in the dark via headphones. Rain drops started dropping on the windscreen. Arthur had once said "as long as there is rain in Britain I'll wait on this hill for you. Even if it rains I'm staying here."

Merlin kept repeating that line in head. If he had just gone to the hill, would Arthur still be with him? Was there a way to find out?

Whispers in the dark kept playing, drawing to an end, repeating the same line as merlin's mind repeated "as long as there is rain in Britain."

_As long as there is rain in Britain_

_While we are young_

_As long as there is rain in Britain_

_While we are young_

_As long as there is rain in Britain_

In the back of his mind, a musty cloudy idea started to form in the distance. Before it could merge clearly with the rest of Merlin's mind, Leon and Gwaine got back into the car.

_Gwaine had been a ghost. A very determined ghost who was set on either coming back or destroying our new lives but…he found his way back. What if…_

Leon flicked on the radio. Out through the clanging clunks of the wheezing radio, a faint signal forced its way through. Almost as if it had too. Like it was a beckon to merlin.

I have died everyday waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you

For a thousand years

I'll love you for a thousand more

Merlin's idea burst its way through.

"Oh turn this crap off!" Gwaine said. Leon happily obliged. Merlin suddenly climbed out of the car and started running towards the hill in the rain.

"Fine we'll turn it back on just come back!" Gwaine yelled after him. then Gwaine sniffed, "is that apple?"


	9. Colours and promises

Merlin's heart pounded against his ribcage as he ran. He darted through the streets rushing through crowds with all the urgency on earth.

As he ran down the market, he could have sworn every stall had something Camelot red or a Arthurian legend book on sale. He passed a book stall and paused for a moment to read a few titles.

_As long as there's rain_ By Arthur Hills

_In Britain_ by Evan Pen

_I'm here_ by Tina Dragon

_Waiting_ by Chuck Camel

_Up the hill_ by Nora Lott

Merlin glanced at the hill. He forced his feet on as they slammed against the ground. Sometimes he moved so fast he wasn't certain that they actually did touch the ground. Would Arthur keep his promise? He always had before!

But Merlin got to the bottom of the hill. He stared up at the steep slopes. Suddenly the vast majority of his courage was replaced by creeping doubt.

Could he be wrong? What if he was? How could he survive getting his hopes so high just to plummet back to earth? How could he be brave enough to try even with the fear of falling?

Then again, what if he was right?

Merlin couldn't let himself miss this chance. He point blank refused to let himself succumb to fear. Not like he did in Camelot. So he forced himself to be brave. He stood firm and refused to let anything take away what was so nearly his again.

He wouldn't let anyone take away who was standing right in front of him. at the top of the hill.

So he ran.


	10. One step closer

Merlins heart raced. His breath sprinted. His feet pounded. He ached all over. He had a burning stitch in his side. He didn't stop.

He would never stop.

Far far down below him Gwaine and Leon pulled up. Their yells were carried up on the wind. Merlin didn't slow. All he could think have was how he had died everyday waiting for Arthur. How he had loved him for over a thousand years. Never stopping. He couldn't stop running for that love.

Not now.

He was too close. He was so close he could smell him again. The old musty warm Smell of the Clotpole king. An old forgotten smell Merlin longed to remember. Now he was so close.

So close.

So damn close.

All this time he had believe he would find Arthur again. He had to find Arthur again. It was destiny. It had to be. It had to be. This must have been his destiny! Everyone had said they were two sides of a coin! How can there be two sides of a coin that only has one side?

One sentence whirled in his mind. One sentence danced on the wind. One sentence pounded in his ears. One sentence scorched a path. One sentence spurred him on. One sentence was the temptation. One sentence kept him running. One sentence was everything. One sentence was the only thing Merlin focussed on.

One step closer.

One step closer.

One step closer.

One step closer.

One. Step. Closer.

Until there were no more steps. Until he was right at the top. Then he froze. He froze as time stood still. As his heart plummeted in despair. There was no one here.

The beating rain mixed with tears on Merlins cheek. Now was today's time to die. Just like every other day he had died waiting for his king to come home.

"No man is worth your tears!" A familiar and forgotten voice said from behind him.

Merlins heart skipped a beat.


	11. Tight embrace

Slowly Merlin turned. There he stood. An everlasting legend. In all his angel like beauty. There was Arthur.

Exactly how Merlin remembered.

Exactly what merlin had waited for.

Exactly what Merlin fell for.

"What took you so long?" Arthur asked.

Every breath, every heartbeat, every footstep, every dream, every second, every minute, every hour, every day he had to wait had come to this.

Merlin threw his arms around Arthur's neck. Arthur hugged Merlin tighter.

As much as merlin knew he would deny it, Arthur had tears in his eyes too. Even if he said it was just "the rain on his face!" merlin knew better. Not even the rain could seep through their warm tight embrace.

Merlin could have sworn he heard a thousand years playing on the wind.


End file.
